Colours of the Day
by LilyRosetheDreamer
Summary: The days have just as many colours as their own uniforms do.
1. Chapter 1

**Colours of the Day.**

Hi all! This is my first quiet step into the Loonatics fandom. Hopefully, you'll all enjoy what I write and we'll all get along swimmingly! These are just a series of drabbles about the heroes and I shall try and update as often as I can.

Enjoy!

Disclaimer: Do NOT own Loonatics.

* * *

Music.

It was a revelation.

Nobody expected to see such talent from someone like him.

This was the guy that was the unintentional comedian, constantly getting knocked around by the opposition and being loud and brash.

To see him in a passive, quiet state was unusual.

Lexi breathed in as the notes filled the air, peeking from the doorway into the spacious room previously used as storage. They'd converted it into a recreational room, but fully expected it to be barely in use.

It appeared that wouldn't be the case with musical talent like his.

"Did you know he could play like this, Slam?" she asked her curious companion and the large Tasmanian devil shook his head, eyes trained on the smaller team mate in front of them.

It was a melancholy piece, almost designed to put you in a contemplative mood. Perhaps he'd felt that way in the first place and just wanted to release it somehow.

"What going on?" Ace asked, confused at the little huddle around the door.

"You have to see this." Lexi replied in a hushed tone and Ace strolled forward, planting his head on hers with a sigh.

His sea blue eyes widened at the musician.

"Whoa, he's…good!"

His head was tilted to one side, glossy in the light of the setting sun. Normally wide aqua eyes were closed in content and his booted foot carefully pressed the pedal as his fingers delicately touched the keys without a care in the world. There lay no papers in front of him – he didn't need it. Instead, he hummed along, a small smile coming to his face.

And silence lay upon the little group as they listened to the piano man play all of his troubles away.

Tech and Rev soon joined the audience and blinked in confusion at the scene.

"Why are you all watching Duck playing the piano?" Tech asked out loud and the piano crashed to a halt as Duck jumped, swivelling to see them all in the doorway.

"Nice going, Tech." Ace groaned as Duck just sat frozen in on the piano stool.

He didn't say anything for a moment. Then he hurriedly got off the stool and left the room, his feathers tinted red with embarrassment.

"You'd have thought he'd be boasting to the high heavens about his talent." Tech said in a deadpan manner and Slam just sighed before going after the smaller duck.

He found the duck on the roof, a favourite place for him to hide when he didn't want the others around.

"Duck." He greeted as he sat beside the hero and the mallard looked away.

"How long were you there for?" he questioned quietly and Slam though for a moment.

"About half an hour," he grunted. "You're pretty good."

Duck remained silent for a second.

"Your English is getting better."

Slam rolled his eyes and lightly cuffed his shoulder.

"Don't do that."

"Don't do what?"

"Change what we're talking about. You're…urgh." He threw his hands up in the air as his knowledge of the English language slipped.

"…I'm avoiding the subject." Duck murmured gently and Slam nodded.

"I…taught myself. Couldn't ever afford someone to teach me."

Slam listened, cocking his head to one side.

"I never really earned that much as a pool boy. I suppose being a high school dropout was all I was ever good for at that point."

The black duck stared off into the distance, glassy eyes not really seeing the sinking sun. It lit up his ebony feathers, turning them into milky grey and gold.

"All I ever wanted was to be _good_ at something. I saw a guy playing the piano and it…spoke to me. I could make others feel happy and myself feel better just by pressing a few keys. It was slow going at first, but I learnt."

Slam gave him an admiring stare.

"Nice going."

"Hm. I go there now to remind myself that there's always one thing I'm good at, even if I'm useless at everything else. At least I have the piano, y'know?"

Slam couldn't think of anything to say in English or his own language as Duck got up and walked quietly away.

* * *

Well, that's the first chapter. Give me a bell when you have time, I suppose.

Love Lily. X


	2. Chapter 2

**Colours of the Day.**

I got some good reception for the last chapter and I'm pretty happy! Thank you all! Here is another chapter that just sprang into my head.

Enjoy!

* * *

Running.

It is morning.

It is morning and the sun is shining brightly like his smile and Rev is excited to go for his early morning run.

Has he ever told anyone how much he REALLY loves running?

He might have through his rambling speeches, but if nobody heard properly then that was okay. It wasn't their fault that he spoke like an oncoming freight train headed for their slower brains.

He'd been fast before the meteor hit Acmetropolis, but had used it to work part time in that pizza place while he was studying in college. He'd been desperate to get on to the university track team and was thinking of trying out for it.

Of course, he can't do that now because that would give his identity away and would be extremely unfair to the other competitors who probably train very hard for their teams.

But he doesn't care now either because he's got the best career in the world.

Who DOESN'T want to be a superhero?

Rev slips on his boots, the last component of his suit and darts outside, feeling the crisp morning breeze. A good place to run is outside of the city, so he takes off in a brisk jog towards the edge.

A brisk jog to him is NOT breaking the sound barrier.

He likes to think about different topics as he runs and this morning's topic is food. He wonders what he'll make for breakfast when he gets back to the tower. Everyone (well, mostly everyone) will be up by then so he'll probably make a big meal for them all like he tends to do. Lexi will probably have something that won't make her fat (why does she worry about that stuff, is that what all girls think of?) and Ace will probably meditate while waiting for his (he seriously can't cook to save his life). Slam will end up eating so much food that they'll barely have any left for themselves and Tech will being tinkering at the table AGAIN (didn't his mom ever teach him manners?). Duck will get involved in helping Rev make the food, for they're probably the better cooks out of the group.

Well, birds of a feather have to stick together, right?

Rev chuckles at his little joke as he arrives at his intended destination. With a massive grin on his face he crouches by his starting point – a rock red from being sun baked for so many years. Counting down under his breath, Rev rockets away, breaking the sound barrier in under a second. As he speeds across the desert, feeling the warm wind in his face, there comes an ache of nostalgia so familiar that it puts him off for a second before he shrugs and gets back into his stride.

He runs and lets the landscape blur into a rainbow of nothing. Adrenaline pumps through his veins and he laughs his strange, quick whooping laugh that could be mistaken for a hiccup or of an elf that caused mischief. For a while, he can feel freer than anyone else on this entire planet and it's all thanks to that meteor that fell precisely a year ago. His thoughts start to sober at the subject as he remembers that not everyone benefited from the crash.

Like some of the villains that they battle.

Black Velvet had been blinded by the shockwaves. And Dr Dare was horribly disfigured.

Perhaps there were many others that also suffered from the radiation, but they just hadn't cropped up. Maybe they just wanted to hide away from the world.

The notion saddens Rev, who is the type to run and dance and be joyous at life in general. Why hide when there are so many things to do?

He can understand their sides of the argument though. Society tends to be apathetic towards anyone who was affected, but weren't famous or heroic like the Loonatics.

Why is that?

They are human beings too (or anthros like himself), so why can't they get help?

Rev wants to question the system; he IS a hero, isn't that what heroes do? But…what will happen if he does? How many people will ridicule him or push him out altogether? Will his own team understand?

Rev shakes his head and carries on, kicking out all unwanted thoughts for now. He just needs to run and everything will be okay, just like always.

Gold and brown blur together and sand particles smoke at the touch of the heated air that acts as a barrier between Rev and any flying objects that could potentially get into his gentle blue eyes.

Having super speed is such a bonus.

He's got the coolest power of all the Loonatics.

And that's just fine with Rev Runner.

* * *

Another chapter done. I have a few issues with how the villains and such were treated in the episodes and that will be one of the things I address in future chapters. But for now, have our lovely Rev.

Love Lily. X


	3. Chapter 3

**Colours of the Day.**

This one is kind of depressing. Got the idea from Mulan when she loses her confidence after being thrown out of the army for being a woman (if I remember correctly). Some of the lines she said were perfect for this guy. You'll find out who.

Please review!

* * *

Mistakes.

It's just a normal mission.

A normal mission with a stereotypical crazed super villain and the Loonatics are doing their best to contain him while Tech and Rev evacuate the area, making sure every single citizen is out and clear.

Ace seems confident like always; confident that the mission will go well and that they can just walk away with no lasting damage.

But they always forget how clumsy Duck is.

And when Duck accidently leads the villain to the building they're trying to prevent from being blown up in the first place, they all know that this mission has gone down the pan.

Duck tries his best to reel the mission back on board, taunting the lunatic and teleporting away, throwing egg bomb after egg bomb. But it's too late for any kind of come back and the lab that's used for medicine goes up in flames, unable to be retrieved. However, that's not before Duck makes one final desperate attempt to save the situation.

"DUCK!"

Lexi's scream is drowned out by pain and blood.

He's never seen himself covered in so much red.

Thankfully, everything goes black before he can cry.

* * *

"What the hell was he thinking?!"

Those are the first words he groggily comes round to and through the slits that are his half opened eyes, he sees Ace pacing furiously around the med bay, utterly infuriated by the fiasco that was their latest mission.

"Zadavia was NOT pleased and I don't blame her! Why does he do dese things, Tech? Why can't he just do as I ask for _once_ in his life?!"

Tech hushes him and glares at the ceiling.

"There are patients in here, Ace. Yes, he did screw up, but he tried to make it work again. Look how hurt he is! I didn't see any of us try to do what he did." The coyote mutters, keeping his voice down so he doesn't wake the mallard – not that Duck isn't already awake.

"For goodness sake, Tech, you can't back him up so much this time! We keep tolerating his mistakes, but he won't learn! It's like he's deliberately putting people in danger to feed his overblown ego!"

That hurts like hell and Duck has to restrain himself from leaping off the bed and running out of the room. His heart cringes and he listens with growing pain as Ace continues. Tech can't say anything back because he knows it's true.

"His arrogance is going to cost us one day! One of de citizens could get hurt or worse! What if one of our own dies?"

"Duck nearly did, Ace." Tech replies quietly and Ace whirls around with an angry expression.

"Oh come on, Tech, we ALL put our lives at risk every day! You don't think I don't know dat as your leader, hm? Duck needs to learn that life isn't all about him!"

There is a heartbeat of silence and Duck lies there feeling like he's been repeatedly punched in the gut.

"I…I can't deal with any more of his antics today, Tech. Just…watch over him, yeah?"

Ace storms out as Tech sighs in frustration and observes his exit.

"You can stop pretending now, Duck."

Duck doesn't respond at first.

"...How'd you know?" he asks flatly eventually and Tech rolls his eyes at the question, like he does whenever Duck asks him anything.

"Your heart monitor sped up."

Duck lets him run tests and check-ups on him in without saying anything else and when Tech finally retires to his room for the night, the smallest member of the Loonatics finally gives in and cries, sobbing into his hands quietly as he curls up into a black ball of feathers.

He _**is**_ alone.

He knew it.

Ace is totally right about him. But don't they realise Duck's always known his own flaws? Why else does he act like he's the King of Acmetropolis?

He has to protect himself _somehow_.

Nobody else will.

Why IS he so selfish?

Is it because he has abandonment issues and never got to keep the human family that adopted him?

Is it because the one person he shared orphanage life with left him with a cruel laugh?

Is it because everyone thinks he's useless, no matter where he goes or what he does?

It's just to keep himself safe from angry yells and vicious taunts, to wrap himself in a lukewarm bubble of hope so he can somehow get through to the next day.

So he feels loved for once.

Tears keep flowing and he shudders, trying to draw in breath.

Stupid oxygen mask.

He rips it off and throws it on to the floor, cursing in a hiss at it that's weakened by the sadness welling up like a fountain from his stomach upwards.

It's not like Zadavia cares much for him either. All of his efforts to show her how good he can actually be at this job just fly straight over her head because Ace and Lexi and Tech and even Slam and Rev outperform him all the time. She is always so proud of THEM.

But then again, what good are egg-like balls of energy that don't even do what he wants them to do in the first place anyway? And since when does the situation require his usage of Aqua Dense? And what use is his Quacking ability?

It only helps him run away so the others can do all the work.

Duck can't take any more of just lying there in a cold bed so he gets up, takes out all of the wires from his body, wincing at the pain rippling in his ribs and teleports from the med bay after shutting off the equipment. He doesn't want the team worrying that he might be dead.

After all, that would just be another thing for them to clean up after, wouldn't it?

He ends up in the park, which is practically dead at this time of night. The breeze ruffles his feathers and plays with the bandages on his arms and torso.

They'll probably need changing soon.

Like he cares.

He eases himself on to a park bench with a small moan of discomfort and pats himself down until he finds the cracked mirror that he convinced Lexi not to throw out. Duck's not sure if it was the small pink heart on the polished red background that attracted him to it or whether the crack in the mirror reminded him of himself. Either way, he owns it now.

The remains of his tears linger on his wet, warm cheeks and the black duck looks up into the night sky. What he's always liked about the park is that the stars are visible; the light pollution's less here.

He hears a small meow and glances down at the little kitten that's wandered over to him, a sparkling collar on its neck.

"Oh. Hello, there."

His voice is slightly cracked from crying, but it's nice to know that he hasn't lost it.

"I bet you're lost, huh?"

The kitten mews again and jumps up on to the bench beside him. The bird automatically begins to stroke it.

"I like animals. They don't judge like people or anthros do."

He opens the portable mirror and gazes at himself for a long time.

"I…wanted to join the Loonatics straight away, you know," he says softly, feeling the kitten pat at his leg. "But I made a show of having to think about it, to see whether she was serious about having me."

The kitten pads its way into his lap and he smiles slightly.

"You are pretty cute. I wish I could take you back. I bet you're already in a loving home though, right? Not like me. I thought that becoming a person that helps other people would be great, wonderful even. I could finally be that icon I'd always wanted to be and I'd like myself. I thought maybe I could look in a mirror and see something _worthwhile_."

Duck brings up the mirror closer to his face and squints at himself for a moment, then cringes at the sight and feels tears well up in his light blue eyes again in disgust at his own image.

"But I was wrong. I see **_nothing_**!"

And with that, he chucks the mirror away from him, causing it to break in half. He gasps a little because Lexi gave that to him, even if it was a cast off. Then all the hurt washes over him like one of his Aqua tidal waves and he breaks down, cuddling the kitten close. The kitten brushes his feathers with its tiny face and licks one of his tears away.

"Why can't they be like you? You like me without even questioning it!" he whimpers, nuzzling closer. "You…you care enough to comfort me! I-It's so…so…unfair!"

He can't help the raw grief that pours out of him in a torrent of fresh tears, shaking and low wails. Duck's been cooping up his heart for too long and this is the end product.

"Oh god, I should just leave. I should end it all…and t-they'd never be sorry! Nobody would and that's fine because I-I wouldn't be either! I-I can't cope with this anymore! I-I CAN'T deal with this!"

He bends over with the kitten tightly in his arms, feeling the world crushing him with its eyes and not knowing what to do about it all. The blood from his wounds is seeping through his bandages and the kitten squirms lightly in his arms, finally escaping and rubbing against him, squeaking sadly in a farewell before darting away.

"Don't…come back!" he cries after it, naked fear in his eyes.

It doesn't come back.

Then again, all the other people who left him never returned either.

His body spasms in agony and Duck shivers in the cold.

"I should…go back." He thinks through a sudden haze of pain and watches the world spin through tired orbs.

Duck summons up enough strength to quack back to his room in HQ and collapses into bed, reaching over to lock his door and wrapping his arms around his slim body.

He doesn't want the world prying in on him for a while, no matter how much he's bleeding right now.

Physically and emotionally.

Duck drifts off to sleep with only the quilt and his own self to hug him.

* * *

Okay I lied, that was very depressing. I typed this to Exile Vilify, one of the soundtracks to Portal 2, for those of you in the know. And you get not one chapter update, but two! Nice huh?

I will probably have a part two to this coming at some point, so stay tuned for that!

In case you haven't guessed by now, Danger Duck is my favourite character in Loonatics Unleashed.

Love Lily. X


	4. Chapter 4

**Colours of the Day.**

Hi all, it's me again! In this chapter, the Loonatics find a rather unusual gift left on their doorstep. Will they be able to cope with a baby?

Nah, probably not.

Enjoy!

* * *

Rock a Bye Baby.

A week passed and Duck recovered well, despite a few setbacks (such as leaving his hospital bed). However, Ace couldn't shake the feeling that Duck wasn't acting like his normal self. He seemed…quieter. But with all the missions they'd received lately, Ace hadn't been able to take him aside and ask him.

And that was another thing; Duck had stepped back when on a mission. He let Ace and Lexi do all the talking and barely got in anyone's way. Mostly, he shot a few orange "eggs" from the side lines and "quacked" around as a distraction once in a while.

In short, Ace was worried about him.

He didn't appear to be as involved as before.

Did he not want to be a Loonatic anymore? Had he grown tired of putting his own neck on the line for the sake of the innocent?

The leader resolved to ask him directly that very evening, but something happened that changed everything.

Everyone was relaxing after a big dinner courtesy of Slam. Ace had gone to meditate in the centre of the room on his pedestal as always, Lexi and Rev were competing against each other loudly on one of Lexi's many video games, Slam was eating his pudding of ice cream and Duck curled himself up on the couch, silently reading an old book with his reading glasses on. Tech was just coming into the room to tell Ace of his latest inventions when the doorbell went off.

"I got it." He said and strode off to the door.

Everyone just shrugged and went back to their activities, apart from Duck, who hadn't even looked up from his book.

When Tech came back a few minutes later though, it was a different story.

"Um, guys," he gulped, getting everyone's attention. "We have an…_unusual_ delivery."

Lexi paused the game, confused.

"Tech, what's the matter?"

With a pale face, Tech gently peeled back the bundle of blankets he was cradling.

"Oh my god!" Lexi gasped, immediately leaping up as Ace took the lead and reached Tech first.

"A baby? Who in deir right mind would leave a_ baby_ out in the cold?" Ace muttered, tilting his head to one side as he studied the sleeping kitten.

Without warning, the tiny thing opened its eyes and saw Ace leaning over its form. It instantly burst into tears.

"Oh, oh no, don't cry!" Tech cried, awkwardly trying to calm the baby. "Look, he's not going to eat you! He's a nice bunny!"

The kitten didn't seem to care about that.

Rev ran out and returned with a rattle (who knew where he'd got THAT from).

"Look-little-guy-a-rattle-you-like-it-I-do!"

That didn't help either.

Slam didn't go close for fear he would make things worse and Lexi was at a loss.

It was Duck who shockingly solved everything.

"For God's sake, you're all useless!" he snapped and very gently took the baby. "Come on now, little one, it's alright! Did big bad Ace scare you, hm?"

As he rocked it slowly, the kitten's cries stopped and it giggled up at him. A warm smile grew across his face as he tolerated the baby poking his beak with curiosity. He turned back to see everyone gaping at him with their jaws to the floor.

"What? What's wrong?"

Ace snapped out of it first.

"Look, we'd better find its parents -,"

"The BABY is NOT an **IT**." Duck hissed, unwilling to wake the now sleeping child again.

"Fine, we'd better find da BABY'S parents and return the choild to them. They might be real worried." Ace sighed, resuming his commands.

Duck turned away, unnoticed, and stroked the child's cheek.

"Or…they didn't want you in the first place." He whispered with an almost sad, nostalgic expression.

Lexi reached out her arms, cooing already.

"Can I hold for a bit? Please?"

Duck handed the bundle over willingly enough and watched Lexi peer at the baby in utter fascination.

"Gosh, I'm so broody all of a sudden!" she exclaimed in a hushed tone and the guys backed away, slightly fearful for their sanity and lives.

They'd heard stories about broody women.

As Tech and Rev walked away to start searching their databases with what little they had to go on, Slam waved them back.

"Look!" he called and held up a small note that had fallen from the blankets.

Tech took it and read aloud;

"Her name is Ida."

Lexi grinned down at the little girl.

"Well, at least we know what gender you are now."

"And the name helps too!" Rev replied, trying to slow down his speech for once. "Come on, Tech!"

He sped off for the labs, leaving Tech to catch up slowly.

Lexi glanced up from smiling at Ida to see Duck looking at the floor, a frown on his face.

"You okay there, bud?" she coaxed and Duck peeked up from under his dark lashes, sadness evident in his bright eyes.

"When they leave a name…doesn't that mean the baby's normally abandoned?"

Lexi didn't know what to say to that and half-shrugged.

"Um…well, we can't know for certain yet, Duck. Hey, why don't we see if she's hungry? I know I would be if I were her!"

Duck nodded without meeting her eyes, but was unable to stop a small smile at her optimism.

Ace watched their retreating backs with narrowed eyes and a concerned expression.

Why did he have the feeling this would change the team dynamic somehow?

* * *

Slam leant on the kitchen counter, watching Ida greedily guzzle down an entire bottle of warm milk, swishing her little brown tail. Duck again had surprised them with his expertise about children, having made up her bottle like he could do it in his sleep.

Perhaps his orphanage background had something to do with it? Slam remembered how little information Duck had given them concerning his past (the only time being when Pinkster had shown up) and reflected on what small titbits he knew already.

"What are we going to do?" he questioned eventually, once Ida was burped by Lexi and settled in her arms again.

Duck didn't answer, staring intently out of the window, his eyes vacant and mind seemingly elsewhere. Lexi took it upon herself to answer instead.

"Well, we'll have to look after her for a while, just until we find her parents. I'm sure it won't be for long – I bet her parents are going nuts trying to find her."

She was cheerful about the end results and Slam grinned, feeling better about the whole thing. Duck bit the soft inside of his cheek and said nothing.

"If we don't find her parents, we can't keep her here forever."

They looked around at Ace in the doorway and Ida waved a brown paw at Ace. Chuckling, he waved back.

"Well, look who's a little happier to see me!"

Slam scratched under his chin.

"Where would she go?" he asked curiously.

"The orphanage; where else could she go?" Ace answered flippantly.

Duck's eyes blazed orange suddenly.

"_No_."

The three stared at him.

"Huh?"

"I said, no! She…she can't go there! If she goes there, who _**knows**_ where Ida will end up?!" Duck growled, clenching his left fist against his side tightly. "I know from personal experience what happens in an orphanage! Ida would have no life!"

The anger coming from him was abrupt and strong and Ace was genuinely confused.

"But Duck, she'd be in a safe place! And what's so bad about an orphanage anyway?"

Lexi gave him a disbelieving look as Duck froze for a moment before backing away.

"You…you have NO idea, so don't you _**DARE**_ shrug it off." He snarled in a low voice and stormed out of the room, utterly furious.

Slam face palmed and left to go after him once more.

"Ace, that was stupid." Lexi rolled her eyes as she let Ida play with one of her ears. "Duck lived in an orphanage for a long time! Of course he's going to be against her going there!"

"I didn't think he'd get THAT mad," Ace said sheepishly, feeling bad. "But it's the only option we'd have, right?"

Lexi nodded after a pause, gazing down at Ida in sorrow.

"I suppose so." She admitted and nothing else was said about the orphanage for the rest of the day.

* * *

Well, the next chapter of Rock a Bye Baby will be up soon and with it, a closer look at Duck's past life before the Loonatics. I hope you all liked this one! I enjoyed writing it!


	5. Chapter 5

**Colours of the Day.**

Hello again! It's me, back with another chapter of Colours of the Day. When we left, the Loonatics were in the process of trying to find baby Ida's parents and looking after her in the meantime. What will happen this time round?

Please review and enjoy.

* * *

Rock a Bye Baby: Part II

The crying seemed never ending.

Ace wrung his long ears in utter frustration as Ida continued to cry because she'd been going non-stop for nearly an hour and was still crying. They'd tried cuddling her and rocking her like Duck did before but she didn't like them holding her. And they couldn't ask Duck again because he'd teleported off to the shopping district to grab some baby supplies with Slam.

In his own words, "the baby needs decent clothes and a bed".

Lexi was bent over her on the sofa, almost pleading with her to pipe down.

"Pleeaaasse, stop crying!" she whimpered, turning to Ace as he slunk over to the pair unwillingly. "Could you take her for a sec? I need to go and get air because my ears are killing me!"

Ace sighed, understanding how painful it must be for Lexi compared to the others (her hearing was supersonic after all) and picked Ida up, watching her yell her lungs out.

"Good grief, you have a pair of lungs on ya, dontcha goirly?" he ground out between gritted teeth and then dredged up his famous patience. "Look, dis ain't getting' us anywhere, you know."

To his immense relief, Duck and Slam suddenly appeared in the middle of the living room. Slam cringed and whined at the noise.

"Oh thank GOD. Duck, she literally will NOT stop cryin' and I'm at the end of my tether! We all are!" Ace cried over her screaming and Duck immediately dumped everything on the sofa to hurry over and take Ida from him.

"You tried what I told you to earlier?" Danger remained calm as he assessed her and Ace nodded in exhaustion.

"Everything."

Duck held her up for a moment, squinting while Slam went off with the already built crib.

"Where you want it?" he grunted and Duck answered without losing sight of Ida.

"Just put it in my room. I think she's so tired, she needs putting down in there now anyway."

Ace gaped.

"All dat because she's SLEEPY?"

Duck sniffed, leaning her against his chest. She was already much quieter.

"Babies can't talk, Ace. This is the only way she could communicate this to you. Obviously you weren't listening."

"Oh, I was listenin' alright. We had no choice." Ace grumbled as he followed the patiently shushing mallard into his room.

For a while, he observed Danger carefully tuck her under a soft baby blanket and tilted his head to the side when his friend leant over the crib, stroking her face and head with a soft, tender smile. It wasn't an expression they saw often on his features. The kitten drifted off to sleep quickly and Duck motioned for them to leave the room.

"Ya gonna be okay with her in YOUR room, Duck? I know how much you like your "beauty" sleep." Ace said quietly, not wanting to wake the kitten.

In truth, he was surprised at Duck for taking the responsibility so fast and without complaint.

The black bird just shrugged.

"Someone has to do it."

Slam got the feeling there was more to it than that, but neither he nor Ace called Duck up on it. Instead, Ace just asked him a question.

"You really like kids, don't ya?"

Duck's back remained turned on them.

"Yeah, I guess so. I feel…connected to them somehow."

"Ya know, one of us can have her in our rooms inst -,"

"I've got this," Duck interrupted. "But thanks anyway."

The two males watched him leave to sort out what he'd bought her and Slam peered down at his leader.

"He's hiding." Slam said shortly.

"I know, Slam," Ace answered. "But he ain't gonna tell us without prompting."

And nobody wanted to do that.

* * *

Danger was awoken gradually by Ida's fussing on the baby monitor. It was a good thing he'd known not to wear his bed headphones tonight.

"Okay Ida, Danger Duck's coming to the rescue." He mumbled sleepily, trailing out of bed to the crib nearby and lifting her out of it. "Oh, you definitely need changing." He added with a wrinkled beak.

After changing her cleanly and efficiently, Danger didn't put her back straight away. Instead, he moved over to the rocking chair he'd placed in here when he first moved in to the Tower. For some reason he found it comforting and thought perhaps Ida would too. He rocked back and forth slowly, listening to the creaks in the dark and becoming lost in his own little world.

"I really don't think your parents wanted you;" He began, blue eyes glassy. "If they didn't know where you were, we wouldn't have found your name tag in the blankets, would we?"

Ida remained asleep and Duck exhaled deeply.

"Maybe I'm jumping to conclusions. Maybe…I want someone else who understands what it's like to be abandoned. I've been abandoned a lot in my short life, you know."

His head faced the moon streaming in through his small window and he stared like it held all of the secrets to the universe.

"I wonder if they ever think of me…like I think about them. Whether they regret leaving me at the orphanage?"

Ida shifted in her sleep and Duck stared down at her before shaking his glossy head, trying to rid himself of the depressing thoughts.

"No, that's just….I need to go back to sleep."

He put her back in the crib and padded over to the bed. He took one last look and then snuggled under the covers.

"I could get used to this."

"Any luck?" Ace asked the next morning as he and Lexi fed the kitten.

Tech nodded, tired but slightly triumphant.

"We got a lead on her parents' whereabouts. Apparently they're still in Acmetropolis."

"Good work, Tech. It shouldn't be that hard to track them down now."

Duck leaned against the entrance with an impassive expression as the Loonatic leader patted their resident genius. Ida waved her chubby paws at him and he lifted a hand up in return, facing away from her and staring sightlessly out the window. Lexi grinned at how cute she was and lifted her head to express those thoughts to Danger.

But he'd already left the room.

* * *

I think Danger Duck may be getting attached to the baby, don't you? But finding her real parents isn't going to be plain sailing and there may be a few unwanted surprises in store.

Please review and tell me what you think!


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